Customer Reviews

Flags of our Fathers [Soundtrack]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In addition to being a talented filmmaker,Clint Eastwood is an accomplished musician,and this score shows it.There have been several other posters here lambasting Mr.Eastwood for scoring his own pictures and screaming "He's no(insert composer name here)".Don't pay any attention to them.While he may not be in the class of John Williams or others as a composer,this is a melodic and highly effective score that fits the film and is well-performed under the brilliant baton of Lennie Niehaus.The main piano theme is memorable.This is a great companion to
his "Mystic River" and "Million Dollar Baby".

This soundtrack is a very good integration of director Eastwood's music with traditional patriotic music and music of the WWII era. Overall, this soundtrack captures the time and place and the lives affected by events. As a soundtrack album of the film, this CD works effectively.

Clint Eastwood's score for "Flags Of Our Fathers" is sparse like his "Million Dollar Baby" theme, but this does not mean it isn't strong. Like the haunting flashbacks for the war heroes of the movie, the orchestral score floats in and out like a dream, ebbing and flowing with the viewer's emotions. Almost half the tracks feature Eastwood's score while the others are strong period pieces supporting the war aspect of the movie ("The Thunderer" John Philip Sousa) and the politics ("Any Bonds Today?" Irving Berlin). All in all, this movie is a superb big screen watch and the soundtrack is a slice of history supported by a lingering melody that will keep you listening for more.

While this is an interesting mix, it works better as part of the film experience. To listen to the music, without the film accompanying, causes it to lose much of the impact. One thing film makers almost never get right is the spirit of the vocals in movies about the 1930s and 1940s. The female trio, in the war bond drive scenes, sounds like a contemporary imitation of the vocalists from that era. They don't sound authentic and I have heard many vocalists (solo or mixed voices) from the 1930s and 1940s on compact disc. This happens with orchestras attempting to recreate that era even when playing those arrangements. One orchestra that gets it absolutely right is the Dutch orchestra The Beau Hunks. So it can be done. Check them out on Amazon.

I don't see how this album could possibly get lower than a 4. It's melody is haunting and emotional. Sure, there is a lot of era-filler music, but those pieces are good too. Clint's actual score is great, especially "wounded marines" and "end titles."
My mother almost comes to tears every time she hears the music, and I've often heard her humming it when she thinks no one is around.
All in all, it is a magnificent cd, keep up the good work Clint.

The soundtrack to "Flags of our Fathers" is a fine recording of music from the Oscar-nominated film. The strength of the album lies in the period songs, which are arranged beautifully by the artists who perform them. Clint Eastwood's orchestral score is another matter. It's got some fine moments (Like in "Wounded Marines," "Inland Battle," and the theme), but is a let-down overall. It's hard to know who to recommend this to. If you've enjoyed Clint's soundtracks before, then you'll probably like it.
Grade: B+

[Review of original score not of the period pieces]

Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, and Band of Brothers contain some of the best, dramatic scoring for a war film. Flags of our Fathers does NOT join that rank. There is no memorable music from Eastwood's too simplistic score. It sounds nice on the trailer but on film, well, all you remember is the same melody played over and over then back and forth among the ensemble. The weak trumpet piece is nice but gets trying after the two hours of film. There's little score in the film and on the album hence the era filler music.

The score does support some parts of the film but it falls short during the flag rising. That should have contained music that would make one's arm hair rise. Didn't happen. On album, the music is a tired listen. Three stars for effort. One star for boring original score. Sorry, Eastwood. Next time outsource your music to someone that specializes in that area of the filmmaking process.

I tried not to give it any stars, which is what it deserves.

I have a difficult time understanding why Mr. Eastwood continues to write the soundtrack to the films he's involved in. There are composers like Harry Gregson-Williams, Elliot Goldenthal, James Newton Howard, David Julyan, Mark Isham, etc... that can create something meaningful and 10 times more advanced than what "Dirty Harry" can create. Would the director and executives of another major motion picture accept a soundtrack of this quality?

I hated Mystic River's soundtrack as well. I think he got lucky with Million Dollar Baby. Not much music that might have ruined the acting, and no inspirational music when she is winning all the fights, unlike the Rocky movies.

I am very aware that he doesn't posess the education, training, and experience that all of the major Hollywood composers do. But he should stick to acting and directing. He has proven himself to be very good at both of those with the awards he has recieved in his lifetime. I think he is just trying to show off at how much he can contribute to a movie. And his "music" is nothing noteworthy at all, in my opinion.

While his attempt to write another score is surprising, it leaves so much to be desired in a film like Flags of Our Fathers. It's a tremendous film, with an interesting story, great characters, great acting, and authentic battle scenes, much like Saving Private Ryan (John Williams). They have a meaningful well-made film ready for a composer to add thier ideas and talents to, and make a great movie-going experience. And then we get the same boring nursery rhyme style melody and chord progression over and over and over again. And then on top of that, it's rudementally orchestrated between guitar, piano, and trumpet with those long droning strings. Granted, not much to work with for Lennie Niehaus who orchestrated it.

I got so sick of it on just one viewing only. And the scene when the son is looking at the pictures and the medal, as stupidly simple as that melody is, I think it's completely intrusive in that scene. It ruined a moment that could have been very moving with anything different musically, or maybe no music at all.

I believe everyone has a job when making a movie, and when one person is doing too much, the quality suffers. And that's if Clint Eastwood was an educated composer, which he isn't. No one can deny that, not even him. As I mentioned before there are so many composers out there that could have made that film even more moving and powerful. I think that the executives looked the other way and let something like this happen because of a big name like Clint Eastwood.

Film music is an evolving art form constantly struggling to get the recognition it deserves. And with good moives being made that are horribly scored in this way, it's not helping the film music world at all. It is admirable for someone to try new things and contribute in ways not thought of before. But when they don't have any talent, they shouldn't be allowed to do it. I am an aspiring film composer taking classes, going to movies, and buying soundtracks to learn as much as I can about it. It gives me a moment of pause when decisions like this are being made about major films. I know it's just Clint Eastwood attempting this, but what if more actors and/or non-composers try doing it?

Please, no more soundtracks Mr. Eastwood! You do what you are good at and leave the music to the established, experienced, and well-known composers of Hollywood.

Bryan Arata